Down the Rabbit Hole
by queserasera00
Summary: Lucy, Natsu, and Happy all fall down a deep hole and find themselves in a world full of magical (but dangerous) creatures. They're surrounded by mermaids, trolls, fairies, centaurs... And what the heck, are those dragons! With their magic gone so far below Earth's surface, how will they survive? More importantly, how will they get home? NaLu; T to be safe


Author's Note: I don't know why, but I'm super excited to start this! I've always loved mythical creatures, so I think I'll have a lot of fun writing this.

It will definitely be centered around NaLu but pretty slow burn!

As always, reviews make authors happy and only take a few seconds, so please let me know what you think. :)

-xkx-

Chapter One: The Mission

_"Knowing too much of your future is never a good thing."_ -The Lightning Thief

-xkx-

Lucy yawned, sinking into an empty stool by the bar in front of Mira. Her hair was pulled into a messy ponytail, and her tiredness was evident by the deep, purple bags beneath her eyes. "Can I get some orange juice, please?"

"Of course!" Mira gave her a warm smile, immediately sliding her a glass and filling it with the juice. "Here you go."

Lucy thanked her and began taking small sips, giving another wide yawn.

"Rough night?" Mira winked.

Lucy groaned, rubbing her eyes irritably. "More like rough morning."

"Oh," Mira laughed, beginning to wipe the counters with a clean rag. "I didn't know you were into that morning love stuff."

Lucy spluttered, leaning across the counter as she choked on her orange juice. Wiping her mouth, she gaped at her favorite barmaid. "Eh?! I didn't mean it like that at all!"

"Natsu was with you when you came in, and you were both really red faced so I just put two and two together," Mira explained, her eyes twinkling with mischief as she continued, "I guess I shouldn't have told everyone else what I thought, huh...?"

Lucy froze. _Everyone_ else? Slowly, oh so slowly, she turned around toward the rest of the guild and nearly fell out of her chair at all the grinning and winking faces looking her way.

"Mira," she moaned, turning back and burying her face into her arms on the bar. "That's so embarrassing!"

"Sorry, Lucy!" She laughed, patting Lucy's head consolingly . "What did happen this morning?"

Lucy peeked at her from over her arm and quickly hid her face again when she saw Mira's perverted smirk. "Natsu was being his usual annoying self," she mumbled.

"Natsu, huh?" Mira grinned. "So, I wasn't wrong about that. I could be right about the... Private activities you two engage in."

Her temper flew through her body, and Lucy suddenly leaped up, crossing her arms over her chest as she glared at Mira defiantly. "Natsu and I are _not_ sleeping together!"

A loud crash from behind her caused Lucy to freeze and realize that the guild had been completely silent. She knew she wasn't that loud, but voices carried really well in the large room. She anxiously glanced over her shoulder, and sure enough, all of her guildmates were curiously looking at her.

Shooting another glare to the amused Mira, she turned toward them and threw her arms in the air exasperatingly. "Well, it's true!"

Natsu peeked over the top of an overturned table on the other side of the room and cocked his head at her. "No, it's not. Lucy and I sleep together almost every night. She even cooks me breakfast when she's in a good mood."

Lucy's jaw dropped, and her face turned a deep red as the guild erupted into loud guffaws and shouting. Several guildmates (including Erza and Levy) clapped the surprised Natsu on the back, congratulating him with wide grins.

Natsu scratched his head in confusion, catching Lucy's eyes with raised brows.

Lucy's eye twitched. The dimwit didn't even know the full catastrophe he just created. How was she supposed to explain her way out of this one?! They wouldn't understand how she endured horribly realistic nightmares that often caused her to be grateful of Natsu's unexpected nightly visits, which quickly turned permanent.

Even thinking about their night time cuddling caused her to blush in embarrassment. No, the guild could definitely not find out.

Natsu continued to be congratulated by their friends, and anger seeped through Lucy's veins. Clenching her fists, she glared daggers at him and growled, "_You idiot_!"

Natsu blanched, shrinking back from her anger in fear and quickly jumping up as she began marching toward him loudly.

Pushing past the guildmates hurriedly, he mumbled apologies and goodbyes as he made his way to the exit.

Lucy kept right on his tail, barely out of reach as she repeatedly tried to grab him. "Natsu, get back here!"

Natsu picked up his pace into a full sprint, throwing the doors open as he shouted over his shoulder, "No way, Lucy! Not until you promise not to hurt me!"

Lucy scowled, quickly sprinting after him through the street and ignoring their friends' hoots and whistles behind them. "You can't run forever, you know!"

Natsu threw her a grin as they were starting to enter the completely overcrowded town. "Sure, but I can hide for an awfully long time."

He disappeared into the mad rush of people, and Lucy stopped, panting heavily as she contemplated her next move. No way was she going to let him get away with a stunt like that. But she knew from experience that she wouldn't be able to find him in the crowd.

Sighing, Lucy decided to go back to her apartment and wait for him. Sure, he could hide for a long time. But no way could he avoid going to her for the night. And once he did... _He's gonna get it._

-xkx-

Lucy sat on her bed, drumming her fingers against her leg as she impatiently watched the window. Natsu would be there soon, she just knew it. But why was he taking so long? He should be there already! Was he really that scared of her?

Lucy groaned and fell back, sprawling across the blanket. She was so used to his presence at night that she knew she couldn't sleep without him.

And it was getting really late, the full moon bright in the pitch black sky.

She yawned widely, and her eyes began to flutter shut.

_"Lucy! Help!" _

_Happy. She had to find Happy._

_Lucy sprinted through the seemingly endless halls. She had to hurry. She had to find him._

_She veered to the right, trying to follow where his voice was coming from._

_Another right and... Dead end._

_She yelled in frustration. Where was Happy?!_

_She had to find Happy!_

_Turning around, she nearly ran into a wall. Whipping her head around, she realized she was suddenly in an enclosed room... _

_And the walls were moving toward her, closer and closer._

_She was going to die._

_"LUCY!"_

Lucy's eyes flew open in fear, and she quickly sat up, searching the room almost desperately.

Natsu still wasn't there.

She guessed he wasn't going to come after all. Maybe she was too harsh on him. She could get pretty scary.

"Natsu," she whined to the empty room. "I promise I won't hurt you, can you just please come?"

The window gave a loud creak as it was pushed open, and a grinning Natsu jumped into her bedroom. "Geez, Lucy, was that so hard?"

She jumped in surprise at his unexpected entrance and stared at him blankly. His hair was disheveled slightly, and there was a small trace of dirt on his cheek that Lucy really wanted to wipe off. Behind his black vest, she could make out the deep lines of his abs. She swallowed hard, trying to stop marveling at how perfect he always looked.

He took a few steps forward, waving his hand in front of her face. "Lucy?"

She jerked out of her trance, her face forming a furious scowl as she raised her hand as if to hit him.

Natsu took a quick step back, raising his arms over his face defensively. "Hey, you promised!"

Lucy paused briefly before groaning and dropping her hand as she continued to glare at him. "Fine. But I'm still mad at you."

"But why?" He demanded, crossing his arms over his chest. "I didn't even do anything!"

Lucy rolled her eyes at his ignorance, climbing under the covers as she gestured toward him. "Because you're an idiot. We'll discuss this later, I'm really tired right now thanks to you nearly burning my apartment down this morning."

He pouted sullenly, his face turning a light red. "I was only trying to cook breakfast for you..."

Lucy blinked in surprise, a blush creeping onto her cheeks. Mira was right. Sometimes they do act like a married couple. "Well, it's okay, I forgive you for that. Can you turn the light out?"

Natsu obeyed, quickly tugging his vest off and pulling the covers back on the other side of the bed.

Lucy, who turned even more red when he was bare chested, whipped her head toward him. "What do you think you're doing?"

Natsu stopped, looking at her in surprise. "Going to bed...?"

"Not in my bed, you aren't," she retorted, pointing to floor on her left. "You're sleeping there tonight."

"What?!" He cried indignantly. "But your bed-!"

"Is off limits after that stunt you pulled today. You're sleeping on the floor."

"Lucy," he whined, creeping slowly into the bed. "Don't be cruel."

"Natsu, if you move onto the bed another inch, I'm taking back my promise and physically kicking you out," she threatened, knowing she wouldn't actually do it. "You're sleeping on the floor, and that's final!"

Grumbling, he yanked his pillow and a spare blanket from the bed, walking around toward Lucy's side. Throwing the pillow on the floor, he lay on his back and pulled the blanket up to his chin, pouting at her angrily.

Lucy propped her chin on the palms of her hand, staring down at him with amusement. "Is something wrong, Natsu?"

"Yes," he muttered. "I'm uncomfortable."

"Awh," Lucy responded in a sarcastically cheerful voice. "Well, maybe you shouldn't have completely embarrassed me at the guild today."

Natsu rolled onto his side, looking away from her as he continued to pout. "I only told them the truth."

Lucy rolled her eyes, plopping back onto her pillow and closing her eyes tightly. Natsu was her best friend, but he was so clueless sometimes.

A few minutes passed, and Lucy kept her mind blank of any thoughts. It was the best way not to get nightmares.

"Lucy?" Natsu murmured so quietly, she almost didn't hear him.

"Yes?" She whispered, on the verge of succumbing to her absolute exhaustion.

"I'm sorry if I embarrassed you."

She smiled softly at his gentle tone. He really was her best friend. "It's okay. I'm not too mad."

She heard him moving but was too tired to see what he was doing. She jumped when she felt his breath fan her left cheek. "Do you want to go on a mission tomorrow? You, me, and Happy?"

She peeked at him, blushing at how close he was to her face. Meeting his eye, she smiled once again. "Yeah. Yeah, I'd love that."

He gave her his signature grin, patting her cheek gently before laying back down. "Great! Goodnight, Lucy."

"Goodnight," she whispered, just as she felt sleep take over.

-xkx-

Lucy, feeling ten times more refreshed than the day before, sat directly in front of Mira, grinning as she leaned over the bar. "Can I get some orange juice?"

Mira slid her a glass, studying her suspiciously. "You seem oddly cheerful."

"I haven't rested so well in ages, honestly," Lucy shrugged, chugging down the orange juice.

Mira raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Have you not been sleeping, Lucy?"

Lucy paused, wondering whether to confide in Mira. It wasn't that big of a deal. They were just nightmares, afterall. "No, I've been sleeping fine for the most part," she responded slowly. "My apartment just doesn't get good air conditioning, and it's get really hot in the summer."

Mira scrunched up her nose, thinking carefully before speaking. "So why did you get such good rest last night?"

"I, uh..." Lucy racked her brain for a logistical explanation, blurting the first thing that came to her mind, "I slept at Natsu's house."

Mira gasped, clapping both hands over her mouth to squelch her girly squeal that threatened to escape.

"It was just because my apartment was way too overheated," Lucy explained quickly, dread filling her when she realized how excited Mira was. Why did she use Natsu's name? She could have said Erza's or Levy's or anyone but Natsu! Everyone knew how much Mira wanted them to get together.

"Oh, Lucy, that's what you think!" Mira cried, shaking in her effort not to jump around in happiness. "You could have stayed at anyone's house. But you stayed at Natsu's for a reason!"

Before Lucy could open her mouth to retort, Mira skipped away, winking at her over her shoulder.

Lucy rolled her eyes. That woman would be the death of her.

"Hey, Lucy!" Natsu called from behind her, his voice pumped with excitement.

Lucy smiled, turning in her stool to look at him. He was dressed in the same clothes as yesterday; white trousers, black vest, and his typical scarf. "Hey, Natsu, what's up?"

He waved a paper at her, placing it in her lap as he reached her. "I found a mission! What do you think?"

Picking it up, she read carefully.

**_HELP WANTED: _**

**_I'm a celestial Mage, and I live alone with my mother. She is all I have, but she is horribly sick. It has progressed for the worse in the past few years, and she is nearly past recognition. Her hair has grayed and is falling out, she gains new wrinkles each day, and she's getting bad habits of talking to no one in particular and hurting both herself and others. She comes home covered in blood, and sometimes it is not her own. Please, I believe her to be cursed. I can't capture her long enough to get her help. She has unique mental magic, and I need a Mage to stop her._**

**_REWARD: My entire set of keys and 1,000 Jewels._**

Lucy's eyes were wide by the end, and the paper slipped from her fingers. "Her entire set of keys?" She gasped. "My spirits are my most prized possession. Why would a Celestial Mage willingly give away all of her spirits? I don't understand."

"We can ask when we get there," Natsu offered hopefully, taking the paper back. "Can I go ask Master if he approves?"

Lucy pondered briefly. She knew there was more to it. A Celestial Mage's connection to their spirits... It was irreplaceable. No way could Lucy ever get rid of her friends, especially to someone she didn't know.

She just knew this mission was a bad idea. Something bad was bound to happen.

But her curiosity got the better of her.

Biting her lip, Lucy nodded. "Yeah, go ahead."

"YES!" Natsu cheered, pumping his fist in the air. "Hey, Happy, we're going on a mission with Lucy!"

Happy looked up from his seat next to Charle, grinning at Natsu's words. "Aye, sir!"

Lucy sighed, watching as Natsu sprinted toward Master's office.

Something bad was going to happen. She just knew it.

-xkx-

So tired. So, so, so tired.

Goodnight all. :)


End file.
